(Yes, the Grand Canyon is in the background of the photo above!)

Hello, everyone! I am a rising junior at Hartwick College and work as a Blue Key Tour Guide. I am an Environmental Chemistry major with a minor in Environmental Science and Policy and a minor in Political Science. This summer I will be working with the EPA and Environmental Justice and I am super excited!

I am very sensitive and caring and full of joy. I love nature, the power of love, and frienship. Please feel free to ask questions, though, I will not answer anything super personal. I hope you enjoy my blog. Have a wonderful day!

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Annual Roots & Wisdom Garden Party

The green roof pavilion recently construct with much help from GE

employees who support the Roots & Wisdom program. The pavilion

replaced the large white tent used during the summer to keep

the youth and guests dry and out of the sun.

Veggie Theatre Revisited, Internship Day Four

And So the Internship Begins!

I started my internship with Roots & Wisdom (see previous post about the program here) yesterday. I will be working as the Events and Outreach Coordinator for 10 weeks. On my first day, Debbie gave me a tour of the office and introduced me to some people. The Roots & Wisdom office is part of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Schenectady Office Suite in Schenectady, NY. She and I set down together and she asked me what I thought this internship would be…

Green Chemistry!

Check out my new post about green chemistry and the 12 principles of green chemistry

Nature Knows Best -- Earth Day Post

# sustainable agriculutre

Silent Spring Book Review

Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring sparked the environmental movement in the United States. Silent Spring is an important part of environmental history. Everyone should want to learn about the environment for the decisions we make as individuals and the policy decisions we support will affect the environment for future generations. I recommending Silent Spring for anyone interested in environmental issues, especially those who to study and improve the environment. Even though many of the facts in Carson’s book are out of date, the basic concepts she talks about are still important to understanding the environment today.

I read Silent Spring last year for my Environmental Politics and Policy class. The main points in Silent Spring are the chemicals we use kill everything, the small doses of chemicals we are exposed to each day build up over time, and chemicals are only a temporary solution that can actually make the situation worse. Below is an adaptation of the review I wrote about the book. I hope the facts discussed in the review spark your interest and maybe even inspire you to pick up the book and see what you may learn from it. Enjoy!

Sustainability & The Environment Blog

My new environmental blog inspired by a conversation I had with an alum.

Five-Story Biowall of Plants Serves as a Living Laboratory for Air Quality Research

Just beyond the DNA-like helical staircase in Drexel University’s new Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building, the atrium’s great showpiece is a vertical wall of living plants, 20 feet wide, rising five stories (75 feet) in height – the largest such wall in North America and the only one at a U.S. university. But the biowall is not just for show. It is an active living filter that removes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air. Scientists and students at Drexel are studying the biowall and the plant and microbe communities responsible for its air filtration properties to get a better understanding of how it works.

# volatile organic compounds

# VOCs

Acre is an oasis of food, learning

By SCOTT WALDMAN Staff writer

Published 12:00 a.m., Sunday, August 7, 2011

SCHENECTADY — An army of children is bringing food to the desert.

A 1-acre lot on Fehr Avenue is in the middle of a “food desert,” which is an area with limited access to affordable and nutritious food. But an innovative program for children is bringing fresh vegetables to local residents, even as it teaches children how to farm.

Anonymous asked

i think those tin thing for water are weird. and besides, they only do that for the safety of other (im referring to your post about the fact that you hate places that wont allow unopened bottles). without that rule, people could bring alcohol into places where they shouldnt be, or even liquid explosives, though the former is more likely than the latter. either way, its still a safety concern, so either you can suck it up for your precision environment or just not enjoy beverages. have a nice day

Why do you find steel bottles weird?

I understand that it is a safety issue. But I have been places that just check what the liquid inside the bottle is safe. That isn’t that hard. Also, I have no money to waste on a resource that is free. They should allow you to bring empty bottles to fill at filling stations if they won’t take the time to check each person’s steel water bottle.

What is “precision environment”? The environment is not mine, it is all of ours and if we do not take care of it, it will not last long. Water is becoming a finite resource when it has always been a renewable resource. Water should not cost anyone anything, yet we charge people to buy water and we take a toll on the environment by take water out in too large of amounts to bottle it and by producing the plastic used for the bottles. Too few people understand how horrible landfills are and they do not recycle.

# environmental policy

# water

# plastic

# sustainability

I hate places that only allow you to bring drinks in if you bring unopened plastic water bottles. I don’t buy water bottles! I have a steel water bottle that I reuse because no one should have to PAY for water. That is dumb. Also, bottling water is unhealthy for the environment as is the use of tons of plastic used for bottle water… I don’t have money to waste buying water :/

# Environment

# water

# sustainability

# why does no one understand

# dumb policies

Roots & Wisdom

Roots and Wisdom is a youth agriculture and community service program.
We bring together urban, suburban, and rural Schenectady County residents
to grow organic vegetables for donation to local food pantries
and for sale within the county.

The Roots and Wisdom program teaches its participants about sustainable agriculture, hunger, nutrition, and diversity.

Roots and Wisdom creates genuine change by helping county residents in need
and providing youth with opportunities to work hard and grow.

Mission

Roots and Wisdom’s mission is to engage the diverse population
of Schenectady County – particularly youth – in serving their community
through the support of a sustainable local food system.
Participants will experience personal growth
and development leading to positive social change.

THIS IS WHERE I AM WORKING FOR THE SUMMER

I worked with Roots & Wisdom in Summer 2008 and Summer 2009. Roots & Wisdom is the best job ever. Youth learn about community, teamwork, diversity, themselves, food, local food, giving back, and sustainability. This job is/was the reason I chose to pursue environmental science and lead to my choice to major in environmental chemistry. This summer, I am back with Roots & Wisdom as a crew leader and will be working closely with Chris as the events crew leader to plan luncheons, the pot luck, an open house, Be Vocal Eat Local Week, and any other events we hold in the garden. I am very excited. This garden is my home away from home and the Roots & Wisdom founding women and all of those connected to Roots & Wisdom are my family. I met my roommate and some of my closest friends, through Roots & Wisdom. You cannot keep me away from this program no matter how hard you tried. It has a special place in my heart ♥

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